QUẢNG NINH — A conference aimed at promoting investment, trade, and tourism cooperation between Quảng Ninh City and Indonesia was held on Thursday as part of Meet Indonesia 2026, a series of events organised by the municipal People’s Committee in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Việt Nam.

The event attracted around 350 Vietnamese and international delegates. The Indonesian delegation was headed by Ambassador to Việt Nam Adam Mulawarman Tugio and Ahmad Luthfi, Governor of Central Java province.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Quảng Ninh People’s Committee Lê Văn Ánh said the elevation of Việt Nam-Indonesia relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2025 has opened up extensive opportunities for cooperation between localities and business communities in both countries.

Quảng Ninh regards Indonesia as a key strategic partner with significant potential in ASEAN, he said, adding that the city is seeking to attract more Indonesian investment by building on its integrated infrastructure and favourable, transparent business environment.

The locality is prioritising high-tech processing and manufacturing, renewable energy, the digital economy and logistics, while pledging favourable incentives and streamlined procedures for investors.

In trade, Quảng Ninh aims to serve as a gateway for import-export activities, with a particular focus on developing supply chains for Halal-certified products to serve global markets. In tourism, it proposes developing new tours and routes and exploring direct flights linking Indonesian centres with Vân Đồn International Airport to increase two-way visitor flows.

Indonesian Ambassador Adam Mulawarman Tugio said that the bond between the two countries has stayed strong for more than seven decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations. He highlighted that their shared future, beyond just their common history, presents great opportunities for cooperation.

Indonesia’s “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision and Việt Nam’s goal of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045 reflect their shared determination to build a better future for coming generations, he said.

Bilateral trade reached more than US$14.6 billion in the first nine months of 2026, bringing the two countries closer to their target of $18 billion by 2028. At the Indonesia Trade Expo in early October, Vietnamese businesses signed business and partnership agreements with transaction value totalling $1.5 billion, highlighting growing interest in bilateral cooperation.

At the conference, delegates discussed investment opportunities in Quảng Ninh’s key industrial parks as well as Central Java’s development potential. Businesses from both sides also discussed tourism cooperation and signed memoranda of understanding.

“Meet Indonesia 2026” is scheduled to continue on Friday with discussions on sustainable development through green and digital trade, investment and infrastructure, as well as sustainable tourism links and a comprehensive Halal ecosystem. Government-to-government, government-to-business and business-to-business meetings will also be held, along with the exchange of cooperation documents and investment certificates. — VNA/VNS